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Whenever my blood pressure begins to rise as the result of the bullshit that goes on in hardcore music, there are a few records that function as a sort of calming agent. Not so much because they're calm records, but because they're pure, fucking aggressive and refreshingly earnest when stacked up against their competitors. With the addition of Artimus Pyle's "Fucked From Birth" to my collection, I've got one more such record to reach for during those moments of bitterness or any other time I just need some gritty hardcore.
Artimus Pyle kicks "Fucked From Birth" into full gear from the very first seconds and continues to devastate listeners through the album's 25th and final minute. The record is dominated by really fast and pummeling rhythms but, while some hardcore bands fall into the trap known as monotony, Artimus Pyle has a tendency to slow things down and vary their approach. When I talk about the band slowing things down, though, things don't exactly get pretty or blatantly melodic, but maintain a morbid sound that borders on the gloomy sounds of doom metal. The plodding rhythms, bass-heavy sound and chunky guitars of "Already Dead" and "Decisions," although weighty and entirely forceful in their own right, make "Fucked From Birth" far more interesting than it would be if comprised of only one generally fast tempo.
I wouldn't conclude that everything Artimus Pyle is previously unheard of, but even the more familiar material is done better than most. The first five songs on "Fucked From Birth" are fairly standard, as blazing tempos, surprisingly varied and fast chord progressions and a very audible bass presence form the foundation for the mid-ranged screams, which populate every song on the record. When they play fast, they play all out, which is exactly what I look for.
Simply put, "Fucked From Birth" has loads of depth but consistently unleashes rage upon its listener. It's great to hear a hardcore band play this fast, this hard and this heavy, but also be willing to experiment with a lot of slow speeds and similarly slow and brooding music. "Fucked From Birth" flows with precision through all kinds of stylistic transformations, making the album not seem like 13 songs that could be digested alone and achieve the same effect, but a nearly 26-minute record that is pieced together the way it is with good reason.
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